) SLEEP. Kyle didn't have a sleep routine. He stayed up late and went to bed at random hours each night, checking his laptop and cell phone while he was laying in bed. He also occasionally drank coffee and energy drinks late in the day, which gave him a boost of caffeine that remained in his bloodstream for several hours. My recommendations: Set a daily reminder on your phone to GET READY FOR BED at the same time every night (say, 9:30pm). Drop whatever you're doing, brush your teeth, change out of your clothes, then get in bed. Don't stare at bright lights (i.e. screens) for at least one hour before going to bed. Plug your cell phone charger far away from your bedroom, so you can't be tempted to check it while lying in bed. Download the Flux app (justgetflux.com) to have your computer screen automatically turn off the blue light in the monitor and switch over to an amber hue in the evening. Cover up all the windows in your room. Make your room as pitch black as possible (cover up any source of light, including digital clocks and the light on fire alarms) and lower the temperature (68 degrees is ideal). Finally, take a 20-minute nap after lunch, laying on your back and covering your eyes with a pillow (I do this every single day). Don't TRY to fall asleep; just observe the rhythm of your breathing so you can relax. Avoid alcohol during the week (it disrupts your sleep if you drink within 4 hours of going to bed) and DON'T drink caffeine past 4pm. 2) DIET. Kyle is mostly vegetarian and believes he's eating healthy. He mostly eats fruit, vegetables, tofu, and sandwiches. He drinks water, Diet Coke, and coffee. He rarely eats meat, avoids food with tons of sugar, and limits his drinking to a few beers on the weekends. But there are a number of problems with his diet: (1) He's consuming toxic and unnatural substances every day -- specifically food and drinks that contain gluten, which tears up the intestines and drastically lowers energy levels, and drinks with caffeine and aspartame, which fuel his anxiety. (2) He is completely deprived of healthy sources of FAT (critical to keeping the brain functioning properly), and vital nutrients that can only be obtained by ingesting animal sources. My recommendations: Don't eat or drink anything with wheat / gluten for six weeks (no bread, pasta, pizza, beer, ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, BBQ sauce, processed meats). Check the label for the words "wheat" and "gluten" before you eat anything (when I went 40 days without gluten, my energy and happiness went through the roof). Here's how I eat during each meal now- I have one "happy" meat source (cage-free eggs, grass-fed beef, etc.), eat a ton of one type of vegetable, and have a handful of a healthy side (like blueberries or almonds). I also aim to eat a lot of fat at lunch and dinner by cooking with Kerrygold butter or coconut oil. I only drink water, coconut water, or tea (no milk-based drinks, sodas, and limited caffeine). If you want, you can cheat for one day of the week with wine, hard alcohol, chocolate, etc. Just don't have wheat or anything with gluten for six weeks. It's a challenge, but it's totally worth it. 3) FIXING NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES. I can almost guarantee Kyle is deficient in vitamin B-12, which can only be obtained through meat or supplements. B-12 is extremely important, because if you don't have enough, your anxiety is amplified and your brain ages twice as fast (yikes). When I got my micronutrient test, I discovered I was massively deficient in B-12, even though I was eating meat regularly! Once I started supplementing, I felt less anxious and less fatigued within one week. Kyle might be deficient in a few other key nutrients, which are rapidly depleted when a person's mind and body go through extended periods of stress. My recommendations: If you can afford it, get a micronutrient deficiency test through your doctor or a lab testing service (anylabtestnow.com). But if you can't, I'd suggest taking a vitamin-B complex pill and fish oil every day for the next month (which will cost you roughly $1.33 per day). Those are two of the most common deficiencies that anxious people have. I take TwinLab's Stress B Complex Caps ($20), and Coromega Omega-3 Squeeze Packets ($20). You can find them both on Amazon or at Whole Foods. Within 30 days, your brain will feel much more at peace. 4) PLAY / EXERCISE. Kyle is sedentary for most of the day, because his work requires him to sit and type. He goes on long runs a few times each week, but thinks he should be exercising more. For fun, he goes out with friends to movies and concerts, and enjoys reading at home. He feels anxious around people, and worries about "cracking" (making a fool of himself, breaking down). My recommendations: Exercise is SO important for curbing anxiety (I try to lift heavy weights 3-4 times per week). But exercise isn't sustainable if it feels like a miserable chore. Exercise should be fun; it needs to be play! Running can be fun for some people, but for me, it's torture. That's why I play homerun derby, catch, basketball, and other games that are fun and mildly competitive. If you're going to run, do it while playing a sport -- sprinting in short bursts is much better than jogging (who looks healthier in the Olympics: long-distance runners or sprinters?) Sign up for a co-ed sport where you'll have to run around and wear yourself out (you'll get to have guilt-free fun each week and make friends this way). Or just buy an Aerobie flying ring ($9 on Amazon) and play catch with a buddy. And when it comes to social anxiety, it's extremely easy to stave that off by spending more time around loving people who accept you and want to have fun. Make the effort to see someone you care about every day, and bond with them while playing. Oh, and stay off your cell phone - stop Instagramming your play and just PLAY! 5) CUTTING OUT THE NEWS. Kyle finds himself reading/watching news stories about school shootings, local crime, corruption, the wavering economy, etc. And even though it makes him feel scared, he believes it's important to stay informed. The TV programs he regularly watches are about zombies and the apocalypse. He also plays video games about war, like Call of Duty. My recommendations: The thoughts you allow into your conscious mind determine the quality of your life. You are what you think. And if you give the news permission to determine what you're thinking about, I GUARANTEE you are going to feel scared, depressed, and anxious. That's because it's in the news' financial interest to shock you and grab your attention; they only stay in business when you see their advertisements! If you're still under the assumption that you need to know "the truth" and that you can actually get it from the news or some conspiracy website, it's time to let go of the witch hunt. You will never know for sure what's going on in the world -- ever -- but that lack of knowledge shouldn't affect how you live your life RIGHT NOW. Stop worrying about the news, it's just noise. Make a conscious effort to cut the news and other scary content out of your life, and replace it with things that will make you happy (positive books, uplifting music, inspiring films -- anything but anxiety-inducing content). Only allow good stuff into your mind; keep the stuff that makes you feel bad out (at least for the next month). # # # And those are my top 5 anxiety killers: - Sleep - Diet - Fixing nutrient deficiencies - Play / Exercise - Cutting out the news

Have you noticed that you often fall into a pattern of all or nothing thinking? Do people sometimes tell you that you are too simplistic in your judgment of a situation or a person? Black and white thinking is one of the cognitive distortions that the human brain generates. 'Cognitive distortion' sounds like a bad thing, but it isn't necessarily bad. It's just a way that our brains have evolved over millennia to simplify things for us, so that in a complicated (and possibly dangerous) situation we can make a snap judgment and act quickly for our own safety. It works very well. Why we're hard wired to see the world in black and white Think how often, in the long course of human history, a human being walking along has spotted something long and thin and black on the path. Is it a stick? Is it a poisonous snake? What are the consequences of coming to the wrong conclusion? It makes sense for us, more often than not, to conclude that it's a snake, and leap out of the way quick smart. Even if it's only a stick, we haven't lost anything by our leap. Our brains 'know' this. So we're hard wired to look at the world in very clear cut terms of 'threat' or 'safety', because this is an essential survival tool. All or nothing thinking has serious limitations But you've probably heard that old line "When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like nails." The threats we face in modern times are not usually dangerous animals. It's more likely to be a bullying boss. Or a cheating partner. Or financial worries. Black and white thinking is really no help in dealing with things like that, because the threats involved are not instant life or death choices. Not only is it no help, it can lead us into depression. And depressed people are even more likely to think in these extreme terms than those who are not depressed. So a vicious circle gets set up. When you're facing a complicated problem, like noticing that you're not getting promoted and wondering if it's because a work colleague has taken a dislike to you and has been turning your boss against you or because you're not doing the job very well, you need a different way to think about things. You need to be able to see many aspects of a situation, and weigh them all up, and come to a considered conclusion.

10 Thoughts to Remove from Your Mind

Here are some thoughts to avoid so you can transcend the hell out of failure. 1. “I already know everything I need to know.” Often the most stubborn people struggle with failure and setbacks. When we assume we already know everything there is to know it makes it difficult to understand why we aren’t succeeding. How to reframe: People are always learning. If something isn’t working for me, there is probably another way to look at things. I am constantly learning each and every day. “If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. ” ― Shunryu Suzuki 2. “I don’t need help from anyone. I can do this on my own.” When we are unwilling to seek out and accept the help of others we are basically deciding to learn the hard way. We all need help from others, whether it’s emotional support or actual resources. No one made it to the top without the help of others. How to reframe: It is okay to ask for and accept help from others. It is actually more courageous to seek help than to deny I have a problem. Getting assistance from others is a necessary step in reaching my potential. 3. “I should always be in control.” If there is one thing constant in life it’s change. There are many things out of our control and learning to accept what we cannot change is pivotal in overcoming life’s obstacles. Learning to let go allows us to live with greater peace of mind. How to reframe: I am adaptable and able to change along with my circumstances. I will focus on what I can control and accept what I cannot change. 4. “If I fail it means I’m a failure.” There is a big difference between making a mistake and failing to reach a desired outcome, and actually viewing ourselves as a “failure.” We will fail but that is a part of the process. Who we are doesn’t change because of our mistakes. How to reframe: I may not like to fail but it is inevitable and I can find the silver lining. When I fail, I will learn what I can do different next time. I will use failure as my teacher. “Don’t be afraid of missing opportunities. Behind every failure is an opportunity somebody wishes they had missed.” – Lily Tomlin 5. “I’m not smart enough, old enough, rich enough… (You fill in the excuse).” There could be countless reasons why you’re not ready or prepared to achieve your goals. Notice your excuses. Determine what limiting beliefs are holding you back and realize the lies you are telling yourself. Reframe: I may not have the ideal circumstances but I will use what I have and be the best I can be. I will stop making excuses and following beliefs that don’t serve me. 6. “I’ll never get over this problem.” This is a classic pessimistic interpretation. If we believe things will never get better we won’t be very motivated to work through problems. No problem lasts forever unless we make it a problem for forever. Reframe: No problem is permanent. I can deal with whatever I am facing. It may not be easy but I know that all problems pass with time. 7. “My circumstances won’t allow me to do that.” Many times we blame our environment on our failure. We use our job or boss as the reason we can’t get ahead. We even go as far as to blame society for our own issues. Talk about giving away accountability and power. Reframe: I am the co-creator of my life. My circumstances do not define me. I will take action and create the circumstances I desire. No more letting my external world determine my state of mind. 8. “I have never been the type of person to do that.” It is easy to base what we are capable of doing in the future on what we have done in the past. If I have failed at something over and over again, it is easy to assume I’m not meant to do it. It is a fact that learning anything requires practice and with enough practice we can do just about anything. Reframe: I will let go of my past identity. Just because I haven’t accomplished my goals doesn’t mean I never can. The past is in the past, and I will take the necessary steps to mold my skills, talents, and traits. 9. “I not good at dealing with stress.” We can all learn to manage stress more effectively. Frankly the more stress we deal with effectively the more natural it becomes. We can all learn new ways of thinking and behaving to help us handle stress, and ultimately build up a stress tolerance. Reframe: Stress is normal and healthy as long I learn to cope with it. Stress exists to communicate what my needs are. I will listen to my stress and find a healthy way to cope with it. “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” – Bill Cosby 10. “What will other people think of me?” Worrying about what other people think of us is part of the human experience. We tend to want people to like us and approve of what we do. However, this is also a trap because we may sabotage our own wellbeing and success if it means someone else will give us approval. Reframe: Other people are more worried about themselves they are about me. I need to focus on what I think of what I do. I will follow my truth despite disproval from others. I will live with integrity.

Positive Thinking When you employ the power of positive thinking, how do you apply it? Are you working to overcome a limiting mindset or to adopt a positive one? Do your positive thoughts include pictures, sounds and feelings? While you’re at it, what is your vision for your life based on? Did you form it around your past, your present or your future? You and I have these movies we play in our head. They start with a dialog and then move into pictures. Then they become moving pictures, and finally, we attach feelings to them. Motivated by our personal vision These mind movies and the feelings that come with them are what I like to call our personal visions. They are three-dimensional and they have feelings attached. These personal visions are also great motivation generators. The energies that fuel our ability to attract and our ability to act grow out of these visions. The degree of contrast between what is actually taking place in our life now, and what we envision achieving, motivates us to close the gap as we move towards that vision. These positive energies can be defined as: Enthusiasm Physical Energy Courage Persistence Confidence Conviction Creativity Focus + Visualization + Belief = Success

Learn to meditate effectively. The mind is naturally a very noisy machine which wants to move from one subject to another like an unchained monkey. One must learn to restrain and discipline it if one is to achieve anything of substance and to be peaceful, Meditation for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening will certainly provide you with exceptional results if regularly practiced for 6 months.

1. A boring, safe life. There you go, I said it. If you want the boring option then go right ahead, stick with what you know. 2. A life without surprises & excitement. Stepping outside of your comfort zone makes life interesting! It means you get to experience new things and life will constantly surprise you! 3. A life led by fear. If you choose not to step out of your comfort zone, you’re essentially being ruled by fear. Your fear is stopping you from exploring. This is not a very nice way to live. 4. A life of jealousy where you are constantly wishing for other people’s lives. The easiest way to put a stop to jealousy is to get out there and create the life that you dream of! 5. A wasted life! Don’t waste your life by settling for less than you deserve. Life is supposed to be fun and exciting and an adventure! Choose the kind of life you want to live.